Initial hardening and drying stage of concrete, plaster, adhesives or paint. In the initial set, mortar reaches a partial hardness, with the final set achieving full hardness.

Compound added to concrete so that it takes a longer amount of time to set, which is necessary when more working time is needed to complete floating, screeding and troweling.

Minimum distance a house or building must be from the lot line.

Local zoning law or private limitation on how far in feet a structure might be situated from the curb or other appropriate marker.

Screw that holds two parts that would be movable in a position where movement is curtailed.

Legal procedure in which property ownership is transferred.

Also known as closing fees, they are paid to the escrow agent, who may be an attorney or a title insurance company, for carrying out the written terms of the agreement between the borrower and the seller and the lender, if there is one.

Document detailing what has been paid and by whom.

Document detailing the final financial settlement and costs paid by both buyer and seller of a property.

Four foot long lath stakes, used as a guide when grading property, that are marked with the surveyor's cuts and fills rounded to the nearest foot, driven behind the surveyor's hubs.

1. Solids, once suspended in liquid, falling to the bottom of a container.
2. Sinking to the earth from the effects of gravity.

Saw blades where the teeth are bent alternatively to each side. The cut or groove width produced with this type of blade is greater than the blade thickness stopping the blade from binding. Ripsaws and cross-cut saws have this feature.

Ownership of real estate by only one person, it is often called sole ownership.

Person's title to real estate giving him exclusive power and rights over it.

Monetary award given by the government to a person whose property has been subjected to condemnation.

Land subjected to an easement.

Waste containing animal or vegetable matter.

Ejector pump that is needed to pump sewage from appliances and fixtures, which are installed at a lower grade than the sewage system.

System that is forced to utilize a pump to lift sewage when the drainage system of a building is lower than the public sewer where it is connected.

Levy placed on those who benefit from a sewer system.

A system of pipes, containment and treatment facilities for the disposal of plumbing wastes.

Brick which has a low moisture absorption and is resistant to abrasion, so it is often used in sewers.

Easement to build, maintain and operate a disposal line for sewage.

Gases which may be combustible and poisonous from the decay of organic materials in the sewer system.